DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 02/14/2005    Duedate: 02/26/2005

NIANIA ARENA

DM-2    TURN-401

This Weeks Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

NELLISTHA
THE GOLDEN FISH (147)
(2-5156) [25-19-1,106]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

NELLISTHA                      POSITION IS EMPTY
THE GOLDEN FISH (147)          
(2-5156) [25-19-1,106]         

Popularity Leader              This Weeks Favorite

NELLISTHA                      YOBER
THE GOLDEN FISH (147)          OF WOLF AND MAN 6 (530)
(2-5156) [25-19-1,106]         (2-4537) [9-3-0,88]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

THE GOLDEN FISH (147)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. THE GOLDEN FISH (147)       28
2. GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)    10      GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)
3. OF WOLF AND MAN 6 (530)      4      Unchartered Team
4. KNOT WHOLE (443)             0
5. THE FUNNY FARM (409)         0      SCARLET KNIGHTS (442)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1 GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599) 115  34  0 77.2   1/ 1 THE GOLDEN FISH (147)    10  5 0
 2/ 0 OF WOLF AND MAN 6 (530)   12   6  0 66.7   2/ 3 GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)  4  2 0
 3- 2 THE FUNNY FARM (409)      75  62  1 54.7   3/ 0 OF WOLF AND MAN 6 (530)   1  0 0
 4- 3 KNOT WHOLE (443)          36  34  4 51.4   4- 2 KNOT WHOLE (443)          1  2 1
 5/ 4 THE GOLDEN FISH (147)    368 571  9 39.2   5- 4 THE FUNNY FARM (409)      0  1 0

    '*'   Unchartered team                       '-'  Team did not fight this turn
   (###)  Avoid teams by their Team Id          ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank

                                      SPY REPORT

     Welcome NIANIA.  I, Olaf Modeen remember this place well.  Many the fights have 
I fought here.  The celebrations, the disappointments...  What's with NUGGET MCGOLD?  
She actually beat NIANIA's EMBEZZLING SCRIBE, and walked away with 16 more points 
from the fight.  Laughs were big at GLORY BOUND TROLLS while they watched ROCKZAR 
clobber MELLITA.  She lost 11 points and got bruised from objects thrown from the 
stands.  I'm sure NIANIA is excited about NELLISTHA, the new Duelmaster from THE 
GOLDEN FISH.  (remember?)  But when you've seen as many as I have...  I suppose you 
want to hear some rumors and dirty gossip about your fellow fighters?  Tough!   
     Speaking of cowardly avoiders and unfair challenges...   
     Warriors of NIANIA unite.  You have only your games to lose!  Here's some 
advice:  study your opponent, master many skills, fight dirty.   
     Many other cities have retirement homes for aged warriors.  Any plans here?  Are 
you as tired of reading this as I am of writing it?  Actually, I guess I'm writing it 
before you read it.  Oh, well.  I don't want to overstay my welcome...-- Olaf Modeen  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 NELLISTHA 5156               25  19  1   106       THE GOLDEN FISH (147)

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-CHOCOLATE COW 3216           17  13  0   114       THE FUNNY FARM (409)
 PIP 5286                     11   5  0    93       GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 YOBER 4537                    9   3  0    88       OF WOLF AND MAN 6 (530)
-EARTHWORM JIM 4111            9   9  0    85       THE FUNNY FARM (409)

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-OOZE-O 5277                  10   4  0    62       GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 NEEBLES 5301                  8   4  0    51       GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-CHARLIE HORSE 4427            3   0  0    27       THE FUNNY FARM (409)
 NUGGET MCGOLD 5317            4   1  0    26       THE GOLDEN FISH (147)
 SPIKE MCGOLD 5318             4   1  0    24       THE GOLDEN FISH (147)

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MELLISANDE 5332               2   0  0    18       THE GOLDEN FISH (147)
-BWA HA 3650                   2   5  0    17       KNOT WHOLE (443)
 ROCKZAR 5316                  1   0  0    15       GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)
-I. M. WEASEL 4474             1   1  0    15       THE FUNNY FARM (409)
 MELLITA 5331                  1   1  0     4       THE GOLDEN FISH (147)
-DUCK DODGERS 5324             0   1  0     1       THE FUNNY FARM (409)
 GNICK 5310                    0   1  0     1       GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)

'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.

THE DEAD               W  L K TEAM NAME             SLAIN BY             TURN Revenge?

                                     PERSONAL ADS

Pip -- Though I was not pleased to lose, I am glad that the throne is held by someone
who had a true fight for it and won.  I salute you, sir.  Or whatever is the
appropriate honorific for a neuter golem. -- Nellistha
P.S.  May you find the glory you seek, though I would think it a shallow goal,
myself.

Neebles -- Silly name, that. -- Spike McGold
P.S.  I'd think you golems would all be made to a pattern.  How come you're not?

I think we should send the Mordant Deserter right back to Mordant!  The NERVE of that
man! -- Nugget McGold

Whoever was the FOOL who let a beggar into the arena to pester us?  I think he should
be killed, both the beggar, who was tiresomely persistent, and the person who let him
in.  I suspect the Arenamaster, or why would he have stopped me from killing that...
that leech? -- Mellita

Oh, la!  My sister is so Dramatic.  True, the beggar was persistent, but so what?  I
hit him several times, and I must admit that I enjoyed that, and he stopped
persisting. -- Mellisande

Prowess -- (leering)  I've developed a taste for tall women, beautiful.  You'll be a
fine addition to my collection! -- Gobiann Strongaxe, Khalhums Dwarf

15 January 2005
     BR 4 is upon us!  First turn is due on 1/29/05.  Many thanks to RSI for helping
supply a great prize for the winner and those who meet the 90% endurance criteria.
     Winning prize:  6 months free play, a +1 bonus potion, a limited damage potion,
a favorites knowledge potion, a minor stat-switch prize, and renaming a Dark Arena
creature.
     Endurance prizes:  a +1 bonus potion to all teams that fight 90% of the possible
fights during the contest.
     For details, visit Talcama's newletter or
http://www.geocities.com/assurnasir/br4
     To join, simply bring a team to DM 18, announce your entry in the personals, and
follow the very simple rule of not avoiding!

31 January 2005
     My fellow duelists I come before you bearing a sad and unfortunate message.
Several months ago our group, the Vendetta Cartel, had lost contact with one of our
friends.  Since he was in contact or correspondence on an almost daily basis there
was concern amongst us.  With some research two of our members discovered why contact
was lost with him.
     On November 10, 2004, Richard Hammes was taken from us in a senseless act of
violence during a robbery attempt at a friend's store where he sometimes worked.  He
was watching the store so his friend could go home to tend to his son who had taken
ill.  You may have known Rich as Abarsis, The Slaughter Priest ; richh10 on the RT;
or gameogre on the Duel2 messageboard.  You may not have known that he spent 13 years
serving the United States in the Navy.
     Rich dearly loved this game and all it encompassed.  He may not have been the
best or most experienced manager but he loved to interact with others and was quick
to offer advice whenever anyone asked for help.  He was always kind and gracious and
tried to strengthen our game, often by helping new players feel welcome or give them
a chance to compete.  With his prolific posting I know that I am simply speaking the
obvious about what he did for our game.  Many, like me, were drawn to him, perhaps
for his kind nature or his sense of humor, and it appears he lived his life as he
played this game.  Always willing to help or do right by others.
     I realize that he had many friends outside the VC so I will include the link to
the news story in case any of his other friends would like to know more of what
happened.  We're all dealt a hand in life but it's not the strength of the hand
you're dealt but rather how you play it that really matters.  Rich played his hand to
the very best of his human ability and for this I admire him greatly.  I know we all
choose to like or dislike managers but I believe deep down we are all good and
decent, in this game, and will drop party (alliance) lines and will show the proper
respect.
     http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041112/news_7m12clerk.html
     Rich was taken from us all to soon and with so much left to offer the community
around him.  He spoke of a desire to run a contest on the Duel2 site which I hope to
uphold in his name.  Some of the people I have spoken with think it would be a nice
gesture to do one final good act in Rich's name, though it could never match what he
would've done within his community, for his community of San Diego.  I hope that with
this contest we might raise a little money to donate to an appropriate charity within
San Diego in his name.
     In conclusion I send a message to Rich:
     "Rich, though I'm sure you gathered this I never really told you how much I
admired you and what a friend I considered you.  I thank you for being my voice of
reason and always reminding me of why we both loved this game so much!  You have
taught me one final valuable lesson in learning more of you.  There are things far
more valuable in life than material possessions such as character and kindness.  That
nothing going on in your life means that you cannot find a way to be kind and giving
to others.  We always spoke of meeting someday and until we finally do know that you
will live on in with me and the rest of your brothers and sisters in the Cartel:
Master Darque, Kat, Bum, Sensei Jan, Maximillian, Hammer, Fizban, Firehawk, Phat
Phat.  You increased all of our enjoyment of this game, you were a true ambassador of
Duelmasters, and the game will not be quite the same without you.  A farewell battle
cry from the ZalCon:  'Confusion to our enemies'.  May your soul rest in peace, my
friend."
     Should anyone wish to correspond about Rich feel free to contact myself, or
anyone else within the Vendetta Cartel.
     Street Legal
     Jeff Bura
     The Death Squad(63) in Tobir or triumph1971@hotmail.com

31 January 2005
     Be it known throughout Alastari that Hammer is no longer a member of the
Vendetta Cartel alliance.
     A difference of opinion with another highly respected member of the VC due to my
recent vocal actions in DM 47 can only be resolved by my resignation from the VC as
of January 29, 2005.
     I leave of my own accord, in good standing with all members and with no hard
feelings towards anyone in the Vendetta Cartel.
     There was a time when I felt that my membership in the VC made the alliance
stronger.  I know that my resignation today makes the Vendetta Cartel a stronger
alliance with my absence. -- Hammer

1 February 2005
                           St. Valentine's Massacre update
My apologies, the Kill Contest starting on turn 476 in Jhans will run for 10 (ten)
turns ending on turn number 486.
                                                                   Azrael

5 February 2005
On behalf of the ILLUMINATI Confederation of Alliances (The kLk, CHAOS, Inc. and The
Company of Brothers) I would like to express our sympathies concerning the tragic
loss of Rich Hammes to both the DM community and to the real life world.  Surely our
loss has been Heaven's gain. -- Talon Darkhart, deeply sorrowful
                                kLk God of War, Illuminati Alliance, Puppetmaster

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

PIP was bested by NELLISTHA in a 2 minute bloody Title fight.
YOBER won victory over KUNG-FU MASTER in a action packed 2 minute battle.
NEEBLES demolished AMBITIOUS GUARD in a 1 minute uneven fight.
SPIKE MCGOLD devastated MORDANT DESERTER in a 1 minute one-sided contest.
MELLITA was defeated by ROCKZAR in a 2 minute amateur's match.
NUGGET MCGOLD devastated EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 2 minute one-sided duel.
MELLISANDE viciously subdued GNICK in a 4 minute bloody amateur's match.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|AIMED BLOW                       2         WALL OF STEEL     12 -   3 -  0      80  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  2         AIMED BLOW         7 -   2 -  0      78  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   2         STRIKING ATTACK   10 -   3 -  0      77  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    1         TOTAL PARRY       13 -   5 -  0      72  |
|LUNGING ATTACK                   1         LUNGING ATTACK     7 -   3 -  1      70  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    1         BASHING ATTACK     4 -   3 -  0      57  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     1         PARRY-LUNGE        4 -   4 -  0      50  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         SLASHING ATTACK    4 -   4 -  0      50  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  0         PARRY-RIPOSTE      3 -   4 -  0      43  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      0         PARRY-STRIKE       5 -  11 -  0      31  |

Turn 401 was great if you     Not so great if you used      The fighting styles of the
used the fighting styles:     the fighting styles:          top eleven warriors are:

AIMED BLOW         2 -  0     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  0         3  SLASHING ATTACK
PARRY-RIPOSTE      1 -  0     PARRY-STRIKE       0 -  1         2  LUNGING ATTACK 
LUNGING ATTACK     1 -  0     SLASHING ATTACK    0 -  0         1  WALL OF STEEL  
WALL OF STEEL      1 -  0     TOTAL PARRY        0 -  0         1  PARRY-STRIKE   
STRIKING ATTACK    1 -  1                                       1  STRIKING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK     1 -  1                                       1  AIMED BLOW     
                                                                1  BASHING ATTACK 
                                                                1  PARRY-RIPOSTE  

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
WALL OF STEEL    NELLISTHA 5156             25  19  1  106 THE GOLDEN FISH (147)
PARRY-STRIKE     PIP 5286                   11   5  0   93 GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)
LUNGING ATTACK   YOBER 4537                  9   3  0   88 OF WOLF AND MAN 6 (530)
STRIKING ATTACK  NEEBLES 5301                8   4  0   51 GLORY BOUND TROLLS (599)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is NELLISTHA 5156.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was YOBER 4537.  The ten other most popular fighters were ROCKZAR 5316, MELLISANDE 
5332, NELLISTHA 5156, NEEBLES 5301, MELLITA 5331, NUGGET MCGOLD 5317, GNICK 5310, 
SPIKE MCGOLD 5318, PIP 5286, and  0.

The least popular fighter this week was PIP 5286.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were SPIKE MCGOLD 5318, GNICK 5310, NUGGET MCGOLD 5317, MELLITA 5331, 
NEEBLES 5301, NELLISTHA 5156, MELLISANDE 5332, ROCKZAR 5316, YOBER 4537, and  0.

                                  Name-Change-O-Rama

     The winter tourney brought a lot of people to the Isle who didn't appear there 
normally.  This included Commission employees.  Half a dozen arenamasters regarded 
each other warily in the mirror behind the bar at the Pig in a Haystack.  The Pig was 
obscure and mediocre, drawing few gladiators, which is what they had all been looking 
for.  They saw gladiators every day.  Most arenamaster were convinced that this was 
some kind of punishment.
     You could always pick out the arenamasters in a crowd.  There were superficial 
differences:  One of these had clearly Adantri features, one wore an eye-patch, two 
were female.  But there were, in significant ways, alike.  The same size, the same 
hair-trigger alertness, the same deadliness.
     The one-eyed man broke the ice, raising his beer mug in salute.  "I'm Zrof One-
Eye from Zukal.  Sugar of Arvat--"  One of the women bowed slightly.  "I know Sugar.  
The rest of you...?"
     The Adantri matched his salute.  "Dernal of Dayla Kiv."
     "Daiyla Kiv?  Ah...."
     "No, without the 'I' in it.  These damned bureaucrats can't spell, and they 
thought adding an unnecessary vowel was exotic."  Disgust dripped from his voice.
     "Tell me about it!" another man growled in agreement.  "Khagal of Niatoli, and 
what they do to the spelling of THAT simple word--!"
     "I thought Daiyla, I mean Dayla Kiv had a different name right now," 
Arenamistress Sugar said.  "The arena, at least, because of a contest?"
     "Chavez Ravine."  Dernal's tone was the one that substituted in polite company 
for spitting on the floor.
     Zrof blinked, taken aback by the bitterness.  He wouldn't have minded a contest 
in Zukal, and damn what they called the place.  "It's only temporary, though."
     "Temporary, shmiperary," another man muttered.  He seemed well into his drinking, 
although, like all arenamasters, he carried his liquor well.  "They do it all the time 
in Aradi.  No reshpect.  Go around changing thish, changing that.  I wish I could 
change shome thingsh."  He signalled the bartender for a refill.
     The second woman put her hand over his mug.  "You've had enough, Harkon.  Try the 
coffee, instead."
     "You should be mad, too, Ripplesh," Harkon said.  "They're going to do shtuff 
like that in Jahnsh, aren't they?"
     Ripples Dorrigan shrugged.  All the men paused, some with glasses half raised, to 
watch.  "It's the way things are," she said.  "Not much we can do about it."
     "You know," Khagal of Niatoli said, "maybe we could make a few changes.  Fix the 
spelling of Arena 33, for one, change a few standby titles--"
     "The Commission hates changes."  Dernal of Dayla Kiv topped up his glass and 
drained it gloomily.
     "Yes, but if we disguise it," Sugar of Arvat said, excited, "make it... maybe a 
general Name-Change-O-Rama!  Then we could slip OUR changes through and no one would 
notice or mind."

                  *-------*-------*-------*-------*-------*-------* 

     By popular demand, we are holding a Name-Change-o-Rama during the month of March.
If you wish to change the name of your warriors or teams, please contact RSI Customer 
Service.  The charge for a name change is $1, unless you're in DOOMCorps, in which 
case you take your chances.  (Just kidding, guys! *snicker*)